■"Pyongyang Delay May Reflect Fear Of Rapid Change," by Gordon Fairclough, Wall Street Journal, 14 November 2005, p. A21.

Weird sort of piece where analysis is that North Korea fears any sort of settlement because if a "big-bang" of foreign aid and development ensued, then Kim would be marginalized politically and his rule would be challenged.

Do ya think so?

So naturally, Kim's not serious about giving up nukes for economic aid. Aid doesn't keep him in power. The disconnectedness he maintains over his people keep him in power. They connect to the world, he loses power. Simple as that.

So Kim keeps playing us like a violin at these talks, and the Chinese and South Koreans pay now in aid (just enough to keep the economy from complete collapse but not enough to change anything, in a move so cynical it's morally repugnant) in the hopes of avoiding paying later.

And we let them.

And the amazing suffering continues.

And we're all guilty for it.